00:00More and more people are turning to calorie restriction for health reasons.
00:07Scientific studies in laboratory animals have shown repeatedly that restriction of daily calories by 20% or more can produce significant health benefits, including the extension of lifespan.
00:22In humans, calorie restriction of 12-25% has also been shown to decrease the development of age-related illnesses, including metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
00:42This translates to healthful aging or the extension of the portion of life that is disease-free, which we also call the health span.
00:57Calorie reduction diets are believed to slow down the aging process and are central to weight loss.
01:05By restricting the number of calories we consume on a daily basis, we are able to establish a negative energy balance that results in the body utilizing excess energy stored as fat for our daily requirements.
01:23In order to lose weight, therefore, we need to ensure that we are consuming less calories than we are expending during our daily activities.
01:37Research protocols often use 10-20% that it is always best to consult your doctor to get an accurate amount by which you should restrict your calories.
01:51An average-sized, moderately active woman would consume about 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day, and similar men consume about 2,000 to 3,200 calories per day.
02:07If we wanted to lose weight, a safe regimen would aim to lose weight by about one pound per week.
02:14This, on average, would require a 500-calorie per day deficit, so instead of consuming 2,400 calories daily, a woman would cut her calories to about 1,900 calories per day,
02:29and an average-sized, moderately active man would cut his calories to 2,700 calories per day.
02:35How much calorie restriction is too much?
02:40Like everything else, we want to proceed with moderation.
02:44An overly aggressive, calorie-restricted diet for weight loss can cause dizziness, slowing of the metabolism, heart disease, muscle loss, hypoglycemia, and nutrient deficiencies, as well as lack of concentration.
03:02So, if you're getting too close to, say, 100, 1,200 calories, you're probably overdoing it.
03:11But how might calorie restriction diets for longevity work?
03:16And how might they decrease the rate of aging?
03:20The mechanisms underlying these effects are still under investigation.
03:24But there are indications that decreased calorie intake sends signals to various systems in the body that slow down the aging process.
03:36These include sirtuin molecules, insulin-like goat factor, insulin itself, and mTOR.
03:44These molecules stimulate various systems that result in increased breakdown of fat, better functioning of the mitochondria in the cells,
03:55causing more efficient energy production, increased clearing of dead cells and cellular debris,
04:03and genetic changes that cause the genetic programming of cells to change, extending the life of the cell.
04:11This is represented by the maintenance of the length of telomeres in cells.
04:19While calorie restriction has been proven to extend longevity in animal models,
04:25it is still under investigation in humans.
04:29And we will only know if and how energy restriction prolongs life
04:35when we have uncovered the exact physiology involved.
04:40Suffice it to say, weight loss through calorie restriction is beneficial to health
04:46and can extend the healthspan in humans.
04:51A low-calorie diet can reduce the risk of metabolic diseases,
04:56such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and may extend lifespan.
05:05Many people are decreasing the number of calories they consume by counting the calories they ingest daily.
05:15And benefits can be derived even when there's no obvious weight loss.
05:20There are calorie counting apps that are available to assist you in this process.
05:26While calorie restriction appears promising for promoting healthy aging,
05:32it is best to engage in calorie-restricting dieting with nutritional guidance to avoid nutrient deficiencies.
05:42Even without dramatic calorie cuts,
05:46improving diet quality and moderating intake can help prevent metabolic diseases and promote longevity.
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06:05Until the next video,
06:06stay healthy and stay safe.
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